"It has grandeur, majesty and a spiritual dimension. It is also quite simply one of the best dance works Choreographed by Paul Taylor."Anna Kisselgoff writing in the New York Times about "Promethean Fire"

Two Performances Dorothy Chandler Pavilion June 26-27

The Paul Taylor Dance Company, celebrating its 50th year, will be the final attraction of the Inaugural Dance at the Music Center. There are two performances, June 26 and 27, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center. The repertory includes the Southern California premiere of Taylor's 2002 critically-acclaimed "Promethean Fire," as well the 1982 "Mercuric Tidings" and the 1975 "Runes."

Mr. Taylor choreographed "Promethean Fire" in January and February 2002. It was given its world premiere by the Taylor Company at the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC in June 2002. Santo Loquasto designed the costumes and Jennifer Tipton the lighting.

The dance, which uses three compositions by J.S. Bach (Toccata & Fugue in D minor, Prelude in E flat minor, and Chorale Prelude) as orchestrated by Leopold Stokowski, is an uplifting examination of the radiant colors of the emotional spectrum and features all 16 Taylor dancers. The work was commissioned by the American Dance Festival through The Doris Duke Awards for New Work and Samuel H. Scripps. It was also made possible with major support from Elise Jaffe and Jeffrey Brown, and contributions to the Paul Taylor New Work Fund.

Anna Kisselgoff in the New York Times said, "It seems initially still another inspired Taylor work to Baroque music. Just the sheer architectonics of the complex and contrapuntal patterns overwhelm the eye they [16 dancers] are the building blocks in the human cathedral that Mr. Taylor constructs uncannily and perfectly with such powerful emotional resonance. To say 'Promethean Fire' lifted the audience out of its seats would not be an exaggeration."

The Paul Taylor Dance Company was nominated for a 2004 Laurence Olivier Award in the category of Best New Dance Production for Paul Taylor's "Promethean Fire," which the Company performed in May 2003 at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London during a month-long tour of the United Kingdom.

The program also features two classic Taylor works - "Runes" (1975) to music of Gerald Busby and designed by George Tacet and "Mercuric Tidings" (1982) to music of Schubert and designed by Gene Moore. The company just presented them at its City Center season in March, 2004.

Again from Anna Kisselgoff's review, "'Runes: secret writings for casting a spell' is essentially a mysterious ritual that unfolds under a moon crossing a night sky. The 11 dancers move with the look of an animal's inscrutable purpose " "Mercuric Tidings" was performed on the same program. "Mr. Taylor is the most musical of choreographers and this physicalization of Schubert symphonic scores is both sumptuous and incisive. The 13 dancers seem to drive and animate the music as much as it does them."

Tickets for Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center are priced from $15.00 to $50.00. Tickets are available at the Box Offices at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 North Grand Avenue, and through Ticketmaster Phone Charge at 213/365-3500 or 714/740-7878, online at www.ticketmaster.com, and at all Ticketmaster Outlets including Tower Records, Robinsons-May, Wherehouse Music, Tu Musica, and Ritmo Latino.

Paul Taylor Dance Company has performed Mr. Taylor's work in over 60 countries and more than 450 cities. It has represented the United States as arts festivals in more than 40 countries and has toured extensively under the aegis of the U.S. Department of State.

In June 1999 the Company launched a two-year Cultural Capitals of the World Tour, which took it to Santiago, Cologne, Aukland, Macau, Jakarta, Paris, Frankfurt, Kingston, Santo Domingo, Stockholm, Bergen, Lyon, London, Rome, Montreal, Beijing and Shanghai, among other cities. The engagement in Chile was named the Best International Dance Event of 1999 by the country's Art Critic's Circle. In the summer of 2001 the Company toured in The People's Republic of China and performed in six cities, four of which had never seen American modern dance before. In the Spring of 2003 the Company will mount a four-week, six-city tour of the United Kingdom.

While continuing to garner international acclaim, the Paul Taylor Dance Company performs more than half of each touring season in cities throughout the United States. San Francisco, Boston, Washington D.C. and Durham all host annual seasons during which audiences have the opportunity to see Mr. Taylor's newest works. The Company also presents an annual two-week season at City Center in New York.

Beginning with its first television appearance for the Dance in America series in 1978, the Company has appeared on PBS in eight different programs, including the 1991 Emmy Award-winning "Speaking in Tongues." More recently, the Company worked with WNET/New York to create a new Dance in America special, "The Wrecker's Ball," which includes "Company B," "Funny Papers," and "A Field of Grass." Broadcast nationally on PBS, "The Wrecker's Ball" was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1997. In 1999 the PBS American Masters series aired "Dancemaker," the Academy Award nominated documentary about Paul Taylor and his Company.

Tickets priced from $15 to $50 are available at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion box office at 135 North Grand Avenue, and through Ticketmaster phone charge (213-365-3500 or 714-740-7878), online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.musiccenter.org, and all Ticketmaster outlets including Tower Records, Robinsons-May, Wherehouse Music, Tu Musica, and Ritmo Latino. Performances are June 26 at 7:30 pm and June 27 at 2:00 pm.